Methods of applying indicia to rounded surfaces of small radius



Sept. 11, 1934. G. w. ANGERSTEIN 1,972,854

METHOD QF APPLYING INDICIA TO ROUNDED SURFACES OF SMALL RADIUS FiledOct. 13. 1,933

Patented Sept. 11, 1934 Parser org es,

METHODS OF APPLYEN'G INDICIA T ROUNDED SURFACES OFF SDEALL RADIUS-George W. Angerstein, Chicago, Ill. I v v Application October 13 4Claims.

The present invention relates to methods of applying indicia to roundedsurfaces of small radius. j

More particularly the present invention relate to methods of applyingindicia to marbles or the like, or other spheres, and has for one 01'its objects the provision of a method of applying pigment or otherdistinctive matter to-a rounded surface which isof such small radius asto present practical difficulties to the use of methods commonly used inthe ceramic arts.

A further object is to provide a method of applying indicia to a smallsphere in which the matter of handling the sphere and the ind cia isgreatly simplified.

A further object is to provide a method of applying indicia to a smallsphere which will permit handling on a quantity basis and which will becheap and well adapted to commercial manufacture.

A further object: is to provide an improved structure for carrying out astep of the method above referred to.

Further objects will appear as the descrip tion proceeds.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1 represents in top plan a preferredconstruction which may be used in the practice of the'present invention;and

Figure 2 represents a sectional view taken along the plane 33 of Figure1.

The present invention contemplates the burning on of indicia uponrounded surfaces of small radius such as the ordinary marbles used bychildren in playing games. Such articles are of course subjected torough treatment, and attempts to apply advertising matter to marblesaccording to processes heretofore known have failed for the reason thatthey did not produce permanent results or were prohibitively expensive.The present invention is particularly useful in connection with marblesof popular sizes, as for example those which have a diameter ofapproximately inch, inch, or inch,

' though the invention is also applicable to marbles of the largersizes, as for example those approximately 1 inch, 1 inches and 2 inchesin diameter.

It has been suggested that indicia be applied to marbles or the like bymeans of sand-blasting, a being used to protect those portions of themarble which are not to be sand-blasted. This method is expensive,inasmuch as the force of the sand is destructive to the mask, and is notat all practical in connection with small 1933, Serial No. 693,441

(01. loll-) marbles upon which it is desired to apply lettering,inasmuch as'the sand-blast soon cuts out the connecting portions betweenthe letters of the completely destroying the mask.

It has also been suggested that an etching pr c he used, but this isprohibitively expensive and involves difliculties in handling smallarticles.

A further suggestion, and one which falls within certain aspects of thepresent invention, to use a decalcomania method. This method has certainobjections due to the fact that sizing of the base is required, and thepresence of this sometimes results in running or crazing, thatis-erazing or cracking of the mate rial forming the indlcia, in theevent that firing is not slowly and uniformly performed. However, aswill be clear from the description which follows, a decalcomania processmay be used in the practice of the present invention if firing iscorrectly carried out. i

Accordingto methods'at present preferred, the present invention iscarried out by applying the indicia, in the form of pigment, suspendedin a heavy fatty oil, as for example boiled linseed oil or sandalwoodoil. Those skilled in ceramic arts will find a wide field of choiceamong the oils or other conveyers suitable for the purpose, and ofcourse the identity of various pigments suitable ior'burning uponmarbles are well known. The particular oil or conveyer for the pigmentshould evaporate readily, leaving only the pigment as a residue, attemperatures between and degrees F., though oils or other conveyerswhich evaporate at higher temperatures may be used if preferred, so longas they evaporate without thinning out. It is essential in the practiceof the present invention that the oil or other conveyer for the pigmentshould deposit the pigment suspended therein as a residue whenevaporation of such oil or other conveyer occurs without the carryingaway of such pigment by the running 'of the oil or other conveyer.

The matter of applying the indicia in its conveyer of oil or the likemay be accomplished by an offset process, as for example by applying amixture of oil and pigment by means of a rubber stamp; or said oil orother conveyer free of the pigment may be applied to the base by meansof a rubber stamp, after which the pigment in the form of powder or dustis sprinkled upon said oil. The pigment may be any of those well knownto the worker in ceramics. For fine Work, the heavier the oil and thefiner the powder or dust the more clean-cut will be the resultingindieia.

The preferred construction for applying indicia to the marble isillustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The structure shown in these figuresinvolves a block '7, a portion of the upper surface thereof being dishedto form a depression 8. Said depression 8 is defined by a roundedsurface 9, which may be a portion of a spherical surface the radius ofwhich is materially greater than the radius of the marble to be operatedupon. Disposed upon the upper surface of the block 7 is the mat 10 ofrubber or equivalent material. The block 7 may have secured theretocorner pieces 1111 extending upwardly beyond the upper surface of saidblock '7 to removably hold the mat 10 in position upon said block '7.The mat '10 should be flexible and resilient and should preferably beunattached to the block '7, whereby when a marble is pressed downwardlyupon the mat 10 at the region above the depression 8, said mat 10 mayslide upon the upper surface of the block 7.

In using the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2, the indicia in itsconveyer of oil or the like will be applied to the portion of the mat 10above the depression 8. For the purpose of applying said indicia to themat 10, a matrix, wood cut, or the like, may be used. The marble, heldagainst rotation, will be pressed downwardly on the mat 10, which willyield under said pressure. Inasmuch as the mat 10 is free to slide uponthe block '7, there will be a minimum of distortion of the indicia.

Other means of applying the pigment will occur to those skilled in theart.

After the pigment, carried by the oil or other conveyer, has beenapplied in the design desired upon the marble or other article, saidmarble or other article is subjected to a firing temperature, thetemperature being gradually raised, particu larly in the early stages ofthe firing operation. The slow increase in temperature has two purposes,one being to permit the evaporation of oil or other conveyer withoutcracking or crazing, whereby the pigment will be properly deposited uponthe surface of the marble or the like. The gradual rise in temperaturehas the further purpose of raising the temperature of the marbleuniformly, thereby avoiding distortions in the surface of the marblewhich would cause cracking and crazing, distorting the indicia beforethe pigment had fused with the surface of the marble.

The fluid used as the conveyor must, according to the present invention,provide the bond between the pigment and the marble surface, and shouldevaporate at a temperature well below the fusing point between thepigment and the marble. As indicated above, the fluid used as a conveyershould completely evaporate and deposit the pigment before runningoccurs. 7

Many modifications of the above description will occur to those skilledin the art. It is 'intended to cover all such modifications that fallWithin the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed isl. The step in the method of applying indicia to anarticle having a rounded surface of small radius which consists inapplying pigment according to a predetermined design to the surface of ayieldable resilient'mat, supporting said mat except at the region ofsaid pigment while permitting it to slide, applying said article to saidpigment, and stopping movement of said mat in opposition to the movementof said article at a region spaced from the region of support of saidmat.

2. Apparatus for applying indicia to an article having a rounded surfaceof small radius comprising, in combination, a block havinga roundeddepression in a surface thereof and a pliable resilient mat slidablysupported upon said surface, said mat overlying said rounded depression.

3. Apparatus for applying indicia to an article having a rounded surfaceof small radius comprising, in combination, a block having a roundeddepression in a surface thereof and a pliable resilient mat slidablysupported upon said surface, said mat overlying said rounded depression,said block being provided with means for limiting sliding movement ofsaid mat relative to said block.

i. Apparatus for applying indicia to an article having a rounded surfaceof small radius comprising, in combination, a block having a roundeddepression in a surface thereof and a pliable resilient mat slidablysupported upon said surface, said mat overlying said rounded depression,the radius of said rounded'depression being relative- 1y large ascompared with the radius of the rounded surface of said article.

GEORGE W. ANGERST EIN.

